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COBURN&COOKPUBLISHINGCO.'S 

Confidential Description 



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FOR THEIR 



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Act well your part, there all the honor lies'— P6pe. 
THE COBl RX .t COOK PURWSHING CO. 






COrVRIGHT, 

THE COBURX \ COOK PUBLISHING CO. 

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CONFIDENTIAL. 



DESCRIPTION OF AMERICA. 

FOR 

^gents^ XJse. 

The articles referred to in this description are to 
be found in the general instruction book. 

The notes at the bottom of the pages are in- 
tended to give the agent a more thorough knowl- 
edge of the prospectus and book, therefore they 
should be studied carefully, and used whenever it 
seems necessary. Some of the notes refer to the 
pages of the book and are not to be found in the 
prospectus. The large text of this book is in- 
tended to be carefully committed, and as a rule 
thoroughly used, although it may be shortened at 
the discretion of the agent. Our old agents who 
proceed on this method, however lengthy it may 
appear, have met with the best success, therefore 
we ins'st that our long method of showing the 
book should be carefully committed to memory. 

We have added a short description at the end of 
the ' ^ok for the purpose of ^neeting the wants of 
agei ', who need a short method of canvassing. 



DESCRIPTION OF AMERICA. 

FOR AGENTS' USE. 

All articles referred to are found in the general 
instruction book. One of the conditions on -which xve 
gave you the agency of this -work ivas that you should 
carefully commit this description to memory^ -word 
for Tvord. Unless you do this, you are sure to fail. 
The best tvay for you to do is, after reading and 
studying our book of the general instructioi- 'ticle 
by article, until you feel yourself master of all the 
rules and principles laid down, and ca7i meet every 
point, then take your prospectus aiid begin "with this 
description, and commit to memory , point by faint. 
Do not undertake to learnt the xvhole description by 
readi?ig it through several times, but learn to show 
each page of your prospectus .separately — persevere 
until you are able to give an enthusiastic and fluent 
description to some of your friends, without hesita- 
tion. 7'ou must not only ktiow how to shoxv the pros- 
pectus from first to last in the order of this descrip- 
tion, but to begin at any point and describe it back- 
ivard or forxvard, as circumstances may require. We 
mean by this, that you must be so familiar with the . 
description that you will not be obliged to stop and 
think. To assist in committing to memory the de- 
scription, a good way is to copy it several times. Ton 
must also remember the page oti -which any projninent 
historical point is made, so that in case of inquiry, or 
should you zvish to point to some interesting feattire^ 



^ou can readily do so — viz : The origin of the expres- 
sion^ '■'•Uncle Sam^'''' page ^j>j. In shorty interesting 
paragraphs like ihis^ it is -wise to read it. It will be 
easier than you think frotn the length of the descrip- 
tion^ to become familiar with it. The headings on 
each page assist the memory^ and the prominent re- 
marks in regard to each is all you need to memorize. 
Be sure and study carefully the notes at the bot- 
toms of the pages^ not only to give yourself a thorough 
knotvledge of the bo'k^ but to enable you when ques- 
tioned to give intelligent answers. Make yourself 
perfect matter of this description. If you do so, and 
canvass /rom ten to fifteen persons each day, spend- 
ing time enough with each to thoroughly show him 
the book, a7id exhaust all powers of argument and 
persuasion, you are sure to succeed. Remeinber, that 
to make a S'lccessftd agent for America you tnust 
understand all the points of our instruction book and 
meTnorize this description. 

HOW TO PROCEED. 

If you have an assistant (see note i) he will give 
you a pleasant introduction {see art. 14), if not .^ you 
can introduce yourself [see art. 2"/); you have leariied 
the person'' s name and something about him (see art. 
26), and you can say, *' This is Mr. ( ), I be- 
lieve; my name is ( ); I represent the house of 

CoBURN & Cook of Chicago, If among farmers 
or the person looks as though he could be approached 
familiarly, always shake hands cordially. In toivnSy 



among busifiess, litermy ^ and prominent men, no 
familiayity should be attempted. If you see that the 
opportu7iity for beginning the canvass is favorable 
{see art. sy), after aferv coinmonplace remarks begin 
your canvass promptly {see art. 2g). Say, I have 

called, Mr. ( ) to bring to jour attention a work 

of great national importance — {^see note 2). Seat 
yourself if you have not already done so, in a good 
position for canvassing {see art. 28), and produce 
your prospectus. It is a complete reference book 
to every fact of importance that has ever occurred 
in the history of this country, either civil, polit- 
ical, military, inventive, or biographical. It is 
entitled America, Its History and Biography, em- 
bracing North, South and Central America. Open 
the front cover, and pointing with the finger acrosS 
one of the back strips, say. This is the thickness of 
one book ; you see it is a very large work, an im 
perial octavo volume; this is only a sample con- 
taining selected pages, and showing just what the 
book is. It is elegantly illustrated {turn to Wash- 

NoTE 1.--- After a man becomes an experienced and 
skillful canvasser an assistant is not of mucn value except 
to assist in starting- the list ; but to a new agent, provided a 
popular and reliable man can be procured , an assistant is of 
great value. 

Note 2. ---In canvassing- in any community, if you have 
made proper inquiries, you will have learned something- 
about what books are in the possession of the person on 
whom j-ou are about calling. This is a very easy matter 
in the country. If a man has an enc^^clopaedia yovi are 
likely to hear of it. In this case introduce it as above. If 
he has not introduce it in this manner: "I have called, Mr. 
— . , to show you a new encyclopsedia, which is having a 
great sale among the people generally." 



ingtoii's fortrait)^ as you see by this exceedingly 
fine new steel portrait of our first President. Here 
the subscriber may take the prospectus from your 
hands — {see art. 24). I think the face is very life- 
like and natural, don't you, Mr. ( )? 

The title page is considered a very beautiful 
one. Read it in a clear and distinct^ but natural 
tone of voice (see note f). 

Ttirn now to Part I. The book is divided sys- 
tematically and scientifically into parts and sec- 
tions; each part covering its proper period of his- 
tory. For instance. Part I. takes up introductory 
studies and treats of the Mound-builders and the 
American Indians. 

Turn now to page 5^, saying: Pre-historic 
America. The Author begins his work by giving 
a full and interesting account of the Pre-historic 
Races, sometimes called the Mound Builders- 
Grave Creek Mound, West Virginia, shows the 
appearance of one of their mounds. It \S 1,000 
feet in circumference and 75 feet high. It was 

Note 3. ---You will probably be asked, "Who is Mr. 
Newman, the author?" You will reply, "He is Prof. 
Stephen M. Newman, of Ripon CoUeg-e, Wisconsin, the 
popular Lecturer and Historian ; he is a g^raduate of Bowdoi n 
Colleg-e, and ranked among- the first in his class. He is also 
graduate of Andover Theological Seminary, and has spenf 
years of his life in the study of American History, and nearly 
three years in the preparation of this book. He is a thor- 
ough scholar, g-raceful and graphic writer, and a careful 
ana conscientious historian. If asked of v) hat religions de- 
nomination he is a member y say, He is a prominent Con 
gregational clergyman and professor at Ripon College. 



examined a few years ago by running a shaft into 
it where two chambers were found, one above the 
other, about 30 feet apart. They were formed of 
upright timbers with beams laid across the top to 
support the roof. In the upper chamber was found 
a skeleton, a large number of ornaments, carved 
stones, evidently utensils, "and shell beads. The 
lower mound contained two skeletons and a stone 
with very singular characters inscribed upon it, 
which no one has been able to decipher. The larg- 
est mound known is at East St. Louis, being at 
least 90 feet high. 

Page 55. — Ancient Works at Marietta, Ohio. 
— These are in a very beautiful location, and be. 
fore the most of them were removed, presented 
a very regular and systematic appearance, show- 
ing that the people . who made them must have 
had some knowledge of mathematics — {see note 

Page/)o. — Stone Axes, — These give an idea of 
the tools which they used; they were made of 
very hard stone, and highly polished; some of 
them are grooved so that a handle'could be attached. 

Note 4.---Always point with the finger to the illustra- 
tion you are showing. 

Note e,,--Book Paffi^jy.--\loYa.ce Greeley once visited the 
ruins near Newark, Ohio, saying before he ^vent that he 
could easily tell by whom and when thev were built, but 
noticing the evidences of engineering skill and antiquit}-, 
he wrote to the New York Tribuve, "As to the origin, bv 
whom built, and for what purpose, all we can say, is, it is 
here." 



They were a more powerful tool than one would 
imagine. 

Sculptured Pipes. — They were evidently to- 
bacco users, and had some skill in carving. {See 
note 6.) 

Page 62. — Ancient Idol and Altar of Copan. 

— This is skillfully carved from stone, and had a 
religious use. 

Page 64. — Ancient Ruins in Yucatan. — These 
engravings give some idea of the extent and mag- 
nificence of the Central American ruins, which 
excel all other parts of the Continent. They 
were built pf solid stone, and curiously carved and 

Note 6. - -Book Page^b. - - All remains of the Mound Build - 
ers which have been found, indicate great age. It has been 
demonstrated that they mined copper in the Lake Superior 
region at an unknown period. One excavation was discov- 
ered thirty feet deep partially filled with decayed wood, 
and a mass of copper weighing nearly six tons was found 
to have been raised some distance, and to be resting upon 
skids; the upper surface had been thoroughly beaten by 
means of large stone mauls, which Avere found; large 
trees were growing in the rubbish, which must have been 
at least 400 years old. Lake Superior copper has spots of 
silver in it, and is the only copper known to exist in this 
country w^hich contains them; this copper has been found 
in most of the mounds in the Middle and Southern States, 
also in Peru, showing that trade must have existed through 
the entire continent. It must have been mined in the Lake 
Superior region, perhaps thousands of years ago. The 
American Indians had but a small amount of copper, and 
no knoAvledge of mining it. 

The foregoing account of their mining should be com - 
mitted to memory and used if the person appears inter- 
ested, if not, omit it. It is well to reserve it to relate as a 
point of interest, if the order is not obtained at first. 
Should the subscriber appear interested in the mourid 
builders, the account of the cliff dwellers could be used in 
the same way. 



ornamented. One known as the Temple occupies 
a space of 624x809 feet, and is 70 feet high; 26,- 
000,000 cubic feet of stone must have been used in 
its construction, showing them to have be«n a 
one time a numerous and powerful people. When 
the Spaniards explored the country these ruins 
bore evidence of great age. 

This work on Prehistoric America is one of the 
most interesting features of this book, and is alone 
worth the price. Here the price of the book may be 
asked^ if not before — see art. ji . No other history 
of America contains anything near the amount of 
information on this subject. 

Page 7/. — The History of the American In- 
dians is then taken up in an able and interesting 
manner. Their probable origin is given, an esti- 
mate of the number on the continent when 
America was discovered, a description of each 
tribe and its location — their manners, habits, and 
customs in peace and war. 

Page 7j. — Indian Weapons. — These were 

Book Pao-edj.- -The cliff dwellers of Southern Arizona and 
Mexico were probably of the same race ; their dwelling-s 
have only recently been discovered. One of these sing-ukir 
houses was built "in the face of a cliff over 600 feet from the 
bottom of the canvon in a niche in the wall, steps being- cut 
into the face of "the rock leading up to the ledge upon 
which this house was built; the house was twelve feet 
high, had two stories, and contained three rooms about 
6x9 feet; the workmanship of the dwelling- was excellent, 
and quite tastefully stuccoed and painted; they seem to 
have been places of refuge during time of war, as they 
were evidently intended for defence. 



made with great skill, and a great deal of care was 
used in their manufacture. 

Page 75. — ^The Crow Chief in Full Dress is 

an exact drawing from life — and this {page 76) 
illustrates the manner of preparing scalps. 

Page 77. — Squaws Going to Market, and In- 
dians Torturing Whites, show two sides to the 
Indian character. The cruelty of the American 
Indian is unsurpassed by that of any savage race. 
{See note 7.) 

Note 1. •••Page 80.— The Indian War Da7ice.—K.\\ the 
tribes had this custom, the dance differing- in the different 
tribes. — Pa^^ 8/.— This manner of carrying- a child is still 
seen among- the Western tribes. The iEantastic dresses of 
the medicine men were supposed to frighten away the evil 
' spirits that they believed possessed the sick. They had but 
little skill in medicine, but had some good remedies. 
Paoe Sy.-- -They worshiped the sun as illustrated in this fine 
full page engraving-, also the moon and stars, fire and wa- 
ter, etc. 

Page 8^. — T/te Half Breed.- ••This is a fine representa- 
tion of one of the best types — the voung sqvia\v is of splen- 
did physical proportions, and has a noble and dig^nified ex- 
pression. She IS shading her eyes with a fan made of 
feathers of the white eagle. In the Indian Territory and 
the far ^Vest, some of the half-breed squaws are verv 
beautiful. 

GenerAl Eli S. Parker, a Seneca chief, was a fine-look- 
ing- man, and of good general abilities. He v\'as a member of 
Gen. Grant's staff' during the war. Benito Juarez, the 
Central American patriot, is another instance of the ability 
of the Indian mind. Hendrick, Corn -planter, Red Jacket, 
Brant, Dr. Wilson, and Gen. Parker were all Irocjuois. 
The popular belief that the Indian race is dying out, is an 
error. The best statistics show that this is not the case. 
Col. Meacham, who was wounded at the Modoc massacre, 
;ind who is a good authority on the present state of Indian 
life in the AVest, says they are gradually increasing. The 
author of this work seems friendly disposed toward the In- 
dians and urges the importance of evangelization and citi- 
;ienship. He has evidently studied their character with 



PLAN OF THE WORK. 

Page 8g. — We now come to tne peculiar plan 
of the work. In the usual arrangement of histor- 
ical Avorks, the mind is confused by treating events 
which occurred the same year, in widely separated 
chapters, it being the custom after partially com- 
pleting one subject to take up another, and so on, 
to the end of the work. (This is very <:onfusing.) 
Thus, a person will remember a number of facts 
and incidents, but will have no clear idea of the 
relations of events as they occur. This is the rea- 
son why it is so difficvilt to remembec historical 
facts iti the proper connection. But you see that 
this book is arranged in chronological paragraphs, 
or in the order of time in which the facts occurred. 
It enables one to keep the events in his mind in 
their pioper order. It also enables one to remem- 
ber dates, which you know, Mr. ( ), is very 

difficult. This plan not only enables one to re- 

2;reat g;uo, and tells the whole story in a vivid and inter- 
esting manner. Their wars and cruelties to captives are 
depictec _is well as their more_ plcasinp- phases of charac- 
ter. Bit)g-raphies of all the most celebrated Indian chiefs 
are gcivcn in this book. INIontezuma, Atahuallpa, the Inca 
of Peni, Powhatan, King- Philip, Bi-ant, Pontiac, Osceola, 
Black Hawk, Tecumseh, Captain Jack the Modoc chieftain, 
and many other powerful chieftains are given through the 
work. The history of the fierce Iroquois or Five Nations 
of New York and their relations to the Jesuit priests, is 
fully told. For several centuries thev were despotic rulers 
from Maine to the Mississij)pi, and Tin- tenor of all th<; 
other tribes. 



II 



member dates, but to easily find any fact or date 
which he wishes. The orderly and systematic 
arransrement of this book instructs the mind, and 
strengthens the memory. 

Besides, vou save a large amount of valuable 
time, bv arriving readily at any fact you wish. 
You see we begin with the very earliest date, 
499, or nearly i,ooo years before the discovery of 
the country by Columbus, and bring it down to 
July i8, i883,inckiding the Garfield tragedy ; thus 
giving nearly fourteen centuries of history, with 
every important event, fact, or personage, so 
placed as to be readily referred to, and the line of 
histcH-ical facts preserved. All the dates are ac- 
curately given ; the year, the month, and the day 
of the month, where possible. {See note 8.) 

Page <S'9-9/.— Pre-Columbian History and Tra- 
dition.— All that is known of the discoveries by 
the Northmen and Welsh is given in this section. 
In 986 it is thought they discovered the American 
coast. In 1007 they made a settlement in Rhode 
Island, and the first white child was born. Before 
I saw this book, Mr. ( ), I had always sup- 
posed that the first white child Was born in the 
attempted Roanoke Colony in Virginia. 

NoTE8.---It is of vital importance that the agent should 
thoroughly study and commit the above description of the 
plan of the work, so that there will he no failure in its ef- 
fective delivery. A strong point can be made by impress- 
ing upon the subscriber the distinctive plan of this work. 



Part II embraces discovery, exploration, and 
settlement, not only of North America, but of 
South America, including the biographies of all 
the leading explorers. 

Page g6. — The Great Discovery, and the Life 
of Christopher Columbus, whose discovery was 
based on scientific principles. This excellent 
Portrait of Columbus is from a celebrated paint- 
ing from life and is considered to be the most 
correct of any. See notes f)-io. 

It is easy to see here the value of this Chrono- 
logical arrangement, for example : North America 
was discovered in 1497, by John Cabot; fage 102 
one year before Columbus discovered the mainland 
of South America, ij^gd), j>age loj; so you see it is 
impossible to get events confused. {See note jo.) 

N0TE9. ---Po^^^ 97.---An interesting" incident is the Va- 
riation of the Needle of the compass, Avhich was first no- 
ticed September 13, i^gz, paoe gT. The wonderful Sargasso 
Sea is described as looking- like an immense ereen field 
stretching out as far as the ej'e could reach, and covering 
an area larger than France. The stem of the seaweed 
which causes this wonderful appearance, is at least 1,500 
feet long, and no larger than a man's finger; Columbus 
sailed safely through it in spite of the fears of his men 
that he ^vould soon be aground. • 

Note io."Book Page QS.--T/ie Discovery was made Oct. 
12, 1493, and the famous landing made. It is singular that 
what was called an unlucky day, Friday, should have been 
the day. The first cigars and corn ever known to Euro- 
peans were here seen in use among the Indians. The first 
settlement was made Nov. 27, 1493, on the Island of Hayti. 
The first mainland settlement was made in 1502 on the 
coast of South America by the Spaniards. Always point 
■with the finger to any date vj hen you vtentioft it. 



13 

Page 104. — I learned at school, and always sup- 
posed before I saw this book, Mr. ( ), that 

negro slavery was first introduced into this coun- 
try by the Dutch, at Jamestown, in 16^0, but I 
find that this author goes much deeper into the 
history of the country, and says it was introduced 
by the Spaniards, and sanctioned by royal au- 
thority as early as ic^oi, page 104. 

Section V embraces Balboa and Cortez, and the 
period between 1507 and 1522. 

Note ii.--Book Page ioi.--The Indians were first en- 
slaved in 1494 by Columbus, who sent 500 of them to Spain 
to be sold as slaves. This is the first account of slavery 
given in the History of America. 

Note it..-- -Page /oj.---Americus Vespucius made his 
voyage in 1499, and on his return to Spain wrote a book 
which caused one of the early geographers to call the 
country America, in his honor. It is not probable that 
Vespucius had any connection with the ciicumstance itself. 

Note i3.---/'fl.o-^ 106. ---The most daring canoe voyage 
ever attempted was made by some of the followers of Co- 
lumbus at the time of his shipwreck on the Island of Ja- 
maica in 1503; they crossed from Jamaica to Hayti, a dis- 
tance of 120 miles, in small canoes on the open sea. 

Note \if.---Page loj. — This fine full page engraving 
represents the manner of taking codfish on the Banks of 
New Foundland. These fishing grounds are known to 
have been visited by fishermen from Europe as early as 
1504, and probably at an earlier date. As this was only 
twelve years after the discovery of the country by Colum- 
bus, these men might have known of the existence of the 
continent which was so near them. Ignorant fishermen, 
however, with no use for land, could not realize the impor- 
tance of the discovery. 

Note i5.---P(7.f<? no. ---Hernando Cortez died in 1547. It 
^s singular that he was almost the only eminent Spanish 
explorer who died in his bed. Balboa was executed, Pizar- 
ro was killed in a partizan fight, Magellan was killed by the 
Indians. Ponce de Leon died from his wounds, and De 



H 

The biographies of all the early discoverers and 
explorers are fully given ; Balboa, Cortes, Pizarro, 
De Soto, and many others. The Conquest of 
Mexico by Cortes, has in romantic interest no 
parallel, unless it is the wonderful conquest of 
Peru by Pizarro; all these events are fully nar- 
rated. 

Here is an interesting account ot the naining of 
America : 

Page III. — This engraving represents the in- 
terior of the splendid cathedral at Quito. It was 
one of the most magnificent edifices erected by the 
old Spaniards after the conquest. Its interior 
decorations are of gold, silver, and precious stones, 
and are not surpassed by the decorations of any 
edifice in the world. 

Page 122. — We here give an interesting account 
of Montezuma and Cortez' entrance into Mexico. 
The Spaniards were astonished at the civilizatioi; 
which they found. Streets, dwellings, gardens, 
temples, and bridges, were all laid out and built 
with skill and beauty. Montezuma gave thein 
his father's dwelling for a residence, in which they 
found a room walled up and filled with gold and 

Soto died on his march. A violent death seems to have 
been the poi'tion of nearly all the g-reat Spanish conquer- 
ors. 

Note i6. — Page iii,. — If the subscriber seems interested 
in the full page cuts in this portion of the book it is well to 
)>oint to them as you go along and say, These fine engrav- 
ings illustrate the Mexican, Central and South American 
scenery^ 



IS 

treasure of all kinds. The cruelty of the Span- 
iards and the sad fate of Montezuma is one of the 
most romantic passages in American history. 

Page isy. — Nearly every one to whom I have 
shov^rn this book has been taught that Capt. Cook 
was the first circumnavigator of the globe. It is 
remarkable the large number of popular errors 
disclosed by this book. The first voyage around 
the world was made by one of the ships of the 
Magellan Expedition, commanded by Sebastian 
Cano, in 1522, over 250 years before Cook made 
his voyage, which was in 1778. 

Page i2g. — Pizarro's wonderful Conquest of 
Peru is well brought out. He is said to have 
captured more treasure than any other military 
conqueror, before or since. His exploits are only 
equaled by Cortez' in hardihood and daring. The 
amount of gold captured by him from the Inca of 
Peru alone, was sufficient to fill a room as high as 
a man could reach, 22 feet long, and 16 feet wide. 
It was paid over by the imprisoned Inca to save 
his life. But the iron-hearted Spaniard had him 
speedily executed. It is hard to find a parallel in 
history of the cruelties which the Spaniards in- 
flicted upon the inhabitants of Mexico and Peru. 

Page ij6. — It is generally believed that the first 
books printed in America were printed in Cam- 
bridge, Mass., in 1640, and I find that our best 
educators are surprised to learn that 105 years be- 



i6 

fore, or in 1535, books were printed in Mexico. 
Read paragraph tinder First Printing. The first 
mint on the continent was also established in the 
City of Mexico in 1535. 

Page ij8. — Here is begun a very full account 
of De Soto's daring but disastrous march to the 
Mississippi, the Indian " Father of Waters." 

Page 1^2. — The introduction of the Slave Trade 
into the New World by the English. You will 
tind a very full account of slavery given in the 
work — its introduction by Sir John Hawkins, the 
various steps in its progress, its disastrous results 
and its final abolition in '63. 

Page 757. Portrait of Sir Martin Frobisher. 
This striking likeness is from an oil painting taken 
from life. 

Page 160. — Sir Walter Raleigh, smoking. 
This amusing illustration shows what a surprise 
it must have been to the English people to see a 
man with smoke issuing from his mouth. The 

Note \-f.'- Boole Paoe /j2. --That there is nothing- new 
under the sun is well illustrated by this work. The i)apers 
have lately been full of a scheme in regard to :i canal across 
the Isthmus of Panama. It is quite wonderful to find that 
over ,^56 years ago, in 1527, Spaniards proposed to run a 
shii) canal across the Isthmus by way of Lake Nicaragua, 
and in 1551 four lines were proposed across Central Ameri- 
ca. Louis Napoleon, before he became emperor, obtained 
a charter for that purpose in 1S46, {.p^iSfe^sS,) he advocated 
the route b- 'he River San Juan and Lake Nicaragua. 
Now in this work by its excellent arrangement you can 
easily trace sucli jjoints of interest as this without reading 
I lage after page as we would have to in an ordinary liisto- 
ry; here we have each event and fact by itself. 



17 

servant, supposing him to be on fire, dashes a 
pitcher full of water over him. Tobacco was in- 
troduced into England at the time of Raleigh's 
expedition. 

Page iby. — Pocahontas. This is a pleasing 
picture of the pretty little Indian maiden to whom 
we are indebted for one of the romantic incidents 
of American history, in her rescue of Capt. John 
Smith. {See note ig.) 

Page iby. — Here we have an account of ihe 
firstnianufactory erected in the New World — the 
humble beginning of the immense American in- 
dustries of the present day. {See note 20.) 

Page lyj. — The First Indian Toper. This 
scene occured on Henry Hudson's voyage up the 
Hudson River. The Indians came on board the 
vessel and were treated with the first "fire-water" 
they had ever drank. One of the number was 
soon overcome by the unusual stimulant, which 
caused great alarm among them. The squaw 
apparently thinks him dead, by her anxious ex- 

NOTE iS.---Pa^e 160. ---In 1587, August iS, Virginia 
Dare, the first white child of English parentage, wasoorn 
in Virginia, and, after Snorri, the daughter of the North- 
man, the first white child born in the United States. 

Note 19- --/'o^t- 767. ---In this story we have a counter- 
part of an incident in the life of the Spanish explorer Ortis, 
who was saved by the daughter of an Indian chief in a like 
manner. 

Note 20. ---Pag'e 767.- -"Germs of Manufactiu-e"---It 
is sometimes well to add when canvassing a German, 
"You notice that they were your countrymen who gave us 
our first lessons." 



pression, while the Dutchmen enjoy her con- 
fusion. 

Page jyg. — Landing of the Pilgrims. — This 
fine engraving gives a very life-like idea of the 
landing on Plymouth Rock; a yovmg woman is 
said to have landed first. 

Page i8i. — Origin of Thanksgiving. — As the 
harvest had been so abundant at Plymouth, a fes- 
tival was appointed and held ; this originated the 
Thanksgiving of to-day. 

Page i8g. — Heie begins the third division of our 
book, "Colonial Life," from 1631-1760. A long 
period, but full of events interesting to every one 
who cares to trace the steps of our political de- 
velopment. 

Note 21. - - -Page ibq. - ■ - Capt. Smith and the Compass. - - ■ 
It shows the simplicity of the Indians and the in^enioiis 
manner in which Smith' saved his life by exciting- their cu- 
riosity. They could not understand why the needle moved. 

Note 22.---/'«^t' 171. ---i6i^---John Rolfe, who married 
Pocahontas, was the first successful cultivator of tobacco. 
It created the first excitement in that long- list in subsequent 
years over cotton, sugar, corn, silk, etc. 

Note 23. ---On page 176, in the book there is a curious 
account of young women being sold as wives to the colo- 
nists of Jamestown, in 1619. Ninety young women suitable 
for wives were sent over to the colony, where they were 
bought by the planters, at 100 tt)s of tobacco each. The 
price afterward went up to 150 Bis apiece. But the English 
were not the only ones who wholesaled wives in this way. 
From 1667 to 1673, a period of six years only, 1,000 young 
women were sent out to the Canadian settlers from France. 
(See pLio-e 23S.) 

Note t^.-- Book Page i77.--In 1620, the same year the Pil- 
grims landed, slaves were introduced into Jamestown by a 
Dutch Captain. 



19 

Page ig8. — The iir!>t example in history of a 
written constitution framed bj the people, was 
adopted by the Connecticut Colony in 1639. 

Paoc 207. — An account of the first steps taken 
in the founding of our free school system, which 
lias done more than anything else to mould our 
national character. 

Page 212. — The modern or long scythe, such as 
is now used by farmers, was first invented in this 
country by Joseph Jenks. Previously the farm- 
ers h«id used the short English scythe such as is 
now used for cutting brush. Mr. Jenks was the 
first American inventor, having invented the fire- 
engine the year before this. The city of Paris had 
no fire-engine until 50 years later. 

Page 21'j. — Here is gi^Ji^en the closing part of a 
very full and interesting account of the last Quaker 
executions. {See note jo.) 

Page 222. — Biographies of the great French 
Explorers, La Salle and Marquette. 

Note 25. - --Page \So. - - - Courtship of MUes Staudis/i, pag-e 
153, which has since been made famous by the poet Long- 
fellow. Sometimes read this naragraph \vhen vou- think it 
will be of interest. 

Note 26.---/*<74r<? /cpc?.. --Stephen Dave printed in 1639 an 
edition of the Freeman's Oath and Almanac. His was the 
first printing- press set up in the colonies. 

Note 27.---/'rt^f iipc?. ---If you tind a person who seems 
interested in the curious facts presented, read The Painted 
House. 

Note 2S. - - -Psg^e \qq. - - -Sunday quor law. 

Note 2C).---Page 200. ---Curiousfinancial peril. 



20 

Page 224. — Front of the Cathedral of Mex- 
ico. — This splendid structure was completed in 
1667, having been over 100 jears in process of 
erection; it cost over $2,ocx),ooo, and is full of 
great wealth in ornaments and altars. 

Page 226. —Canadian Trappers. — This strik- 
ing picture represents a trapper of the olden time 
in Canada. 

Page 228. — Marquette Descending the Mis- 
sissippi. — All the explorations of Marquette and 
Joliet are given. ^ 

Page 2j6. — An excellent portrait of the old 
Dutch Governor of New Amsterdam, Peter Stuy- 
vesant. 

Page 244. — First newspaper was issued in Bos- 
ton, Mass., 1690. {See note ^4.) 

Page 24J. — The Great Witchcraft Delusion, 
which created such an excitement, and so much 
opprobrium against the New England States. At 
this day it is difficult to believe that the New Eng- 
land people could have executed innocent persons 
as witches, but the author not only gives the ori- 

NoTfi 30.---Pa^^2i7. ---The last Quaker execution was in 
16S1. The persecution of the Quakers was not only pur- 
sued by New England, bvit by the Virginia Colony. Some 
of them had made themselves very obnoxious to the colo- 
nists by their fanaticism and by their defiance of law and 
order. Young Quaker women marched naked through 
the streets of Salem as a sign against the sins of the place. 
Several of them were arrested after being repeatedly 
warned to keep away from the colonists; but the persecu- 
tions of the Quakers in this country did not at all compare 
with that in England. Read note ot foot of page si^. 



gin, rise and progress of the whole delusion, but 
shows the belief in witchcraft was universal over 
the entire world. We can hardly realize what a 
terrible excitement this delusion produced in 
New England, some of the most respectable per- 
sons being executed as witches, but we read the 
'note at bottom of page 218. Here read note^ so 
that we can see that the witchcraft excitement in 
New England was small in comparison to that of 
other countries during the same period. 

Page 24q. — Mrs. Dustin and the Indians. — 
This finely executed engraving shows Mrs. Dus- 
tin, her servant and a Dutch boy in the act of es- 
caping from the Indian^; who had captured them. 
They managed to tomahawk ten of the In- 
dians, only a squaw and child being left alive, 
and succeeded in reaching the settlement in safety. 
A beautiful monument was erected near Con- 
cord, New Hampshire, in 1S74, with appropriate 
devices to symbolize the heroism of these three 
persons. 

Page 2^1. — Execution of Capt. Kidd.— This 

man, who had become so notorious as a pirate, 

was executed in 1701, being refused counsel on 

his trial and privilege of sending for papers and 

witnesses. {See note jj.) 

Note 31.--- Po^i? 24.3.- --Indian Aliack---'Y\\\% vividly il- 
lustrates the dangers of frontier life in early times. 

NoTE33.---Pa^<? 2^5. ---1692. ---The trouble about the 
Mast Trees, which shows the oppression of the English 
g-overnment, arose. All the large trees in the American 
forests were confiscated to roval use. 



22 

Page 261. — 172 1. First inoculation for small- 
pox. The value of side notes in contemporane- 
ous European history is well shown here. To 
illustrate — 1721, inoculation introduced. Read 
side nn/e. These side notes continue throuofh the 
hook . 

Pag-e 268. -i']T,6. John Wesley established the 
first modern Sunday School. • 

The First Steam Engine built in America was 
made this year. 

Page .270.- -Franklin Stoves. — Benj. Frank- 
lin, in 1742, invented the open iron iire-place 
called the Franklin Stove. This, in its improved 
form, is in use to-day, and was among the first 
steps in the long line of useful inventions which 
American ingenuity has wrought out. 

Note t,t,.--- Page 2^1,- --It is now well established b}- his- 
tory that there was nothing- to show that this man was the 
heartless and bloodstained pirate that the popular belief 
would make him. Drake and Hawkins who were autho- 
rized by Queen Isabella, committed much g-reater depreda- 
tions. 

Note 2,^---^ook Page 254.-- The First Permanent News- 
paper in the New World was the Boston Nevjs-Letter, pub- 
lished 1704. 

Note 35. - - - Page 261. • - • When Can vassing a Mason say, 
In 1721 the first Masonic Lodge on the continent was es- 
tablished in the cit}' of Quebec. 

Note ^6.- --Page 270. The Negro Plot. 1741, the Negro 
Plot occurred in New York city. This occasioned as much 
excitement and as manj'^ executions as the witchcraft delu- 
sion in New England. History has since proven that it 
was a delusion. 



^3 

Page 276. — Scold Gagged. This illustration 
shows the severity of early laws. It might, how- 
ever, be beneficial to-day in some cases. 

Page 28g — Part IV. Revolutionary struggles 
giving the causes which led to the Revolution, 
our first resistance to British oppression and the 
successful restilt of our conflict with the mother 
country. 

Page 2g$ — 1765. Nov. i the famous Stamp Act 
was passed, creating great excitement among the 
colonists. It was repealed the next year. 

Page joj. — The Boston Tea Party was held 
Dec. 16, 1773, when three shiploads of tea were 
thrown into the harbor. 

Page J24. — A correct and full copy of the Dec- 
laration of Independence is given. 

Page JJ2. — The stars and stripes were originated 
in 1777. 

Page j'j'3'. — A pleasing portrait of the British 
General Burgoyne, 

Note j^i.- - Page ji'j .• -Remoxnnsr Cannon jrom the Battery. 

This engraving' shows the manner in which the determined 
citizens of New York removed the cannon from the Bat- 
tery in face of lire from the enemy's ships. 

Note t,S.--- Pao-e j2q,---T/ie Stolen >/«;-<:/?. ---When 
Washington was in a critical position, the American army 
on one side of the creek and the British on the otiier, he 
kept his pickets busy building fires and raising breastworks 
during the night, and silently mustering his army, marched 
away, leaving the British pickets, who, you see, are en- 
tirely easy and unsuspicious, to watch the fires which were 
kept up by a few of Washington's soldiers. 

Note 39.---Prt;^<!? ^57. ---yl Revolutionary Flag, with its 
motto, "Don't tread on me;" this was one of t'le earlier 
tlags, before the Stars and Stripes were adopted. 



24 

P^g^ 339- — The Valley of Wyoming,. where 

the celebrated Indian massacre occurred. 

Page j6o. — Origin of the word "Brother Jona- 
than," At one time when Washington found 
that a great destitution of military stores existed, 
he said to some one, "Let us see what Brother 
Jonathan says about it," referring to Jonathan 
Trumbull, Governor of Connecticut. 

Page J64. — Robert Fulton has been given all 
the credit for the invention of the steamboat, but 
John Fitch made the first practical boat in 1787, 
which ran at a speed of eight iniles an hour on 
the Delaware River for some time. James Rum- 
sey alvso exhibited a steamboat in this same year. 
Undoubtedly Fulton saw these boats and gained 
his ideas from them, and made the first successful 
steamboat in 1807. 

Page j68. — We give in full an accurate copy of 
the Constitution of the United States, and all the 
amendments, which is valuable for reference. 

Page jyg. — An excellent portrait of the emi- 
nent philosopher, Benjamin Franklin ; his com- 
plete biography is given. 

Page j86. — Here is a portrait and the conclud- 
ing part of a full account of the eventful life of 
Paul Jones. 

Pagcjgi. — Whitney Invented His Cotton Gin 
in 1793. This completely revolutionized the cot- 
ton trade, and did as much, if not more, for the 



25 

benefit of American trade and commerce than any 
other invention. 

Page 402. — 1797. First steam locomotive. 
Read paragraph. 

Page 402. — The superstition and ignorance of 
the people less than 100 years ago is well illus- 
trated by Charles Newbold's invention of the cast 
iron plow. Before this wooden plows had alone 
been used, and a report immediately spi-ang up 
that the cast iron plow "poisoned the soil, and 
promoted the growth of rocks." This is a good 
paragraph to read. 

Page 406. — A portrait of George Washington 
from the Stuart painting, and an excellent biogra- 
ph}' of him. 

Page 412. — Benedict Arnold's portrait and biog- 
raphy. 

Page ^j>.— Fulton's triumph, Aug. 7, 1807. 

{See note 42). 

Note 40. --Prto"^ J9l--The first Spanish Merinos were im- 
ported in 1793, b}' William Foster, of Boston, who gave 
them to a friend of his, who killed and ate them. The same 
kind of sheep were afterward boug-ht by the same man at 
one thousand dollars per head. 

Note \i.---Pa^e 402. ---Hail ColumHa.---T\\.i. National 
Ode was written in 1798 by Joseph Hopkinson. 

Note d^z.--- Book Page 423. — The Clermont was the six- 
teenth steamboat in order of construction, but the first to be 
used permanently. On the da^^of the trial crowds collected 
ready to swear should the result be failure. But at the Ap- 
pointed hour after a trifling' delay the boat moved up the 
river against wind and tide, and steam navigation, which 
John Fitch and others had done so much to make possible, 
was an accomplished fact. 



26 

Page 4JJ. — The origin of the term *' Uncle 
Sam" was in 171 2. Read the paragraph. 

Page 4J4. — Anthracite coal was first sold in 
Philadelphia, and the man who sold it was arrest- 
ed for selling stones. 

Page 4^0. — First Steam Voyage across the 
Atl-antic was made in 1819 by an American ves- 
sel. The same year, Jethro Wood invented his 
famous plow, from which all modern plows have 
been made. 

Page 4^1. — Many persons reading in the news- 
papers allusions to the Missouri Compromise, do 
not understand what it means — a concise and clear 
account is here given. 

Page 451. — The Monroe Doctrine is now re- 
peatedly called to public attention in connection 
with the Panama scheme. Just what the doctrine 
is, is here given. 

Part V. — Political Development. — You notice 
how systematically this work is divided. The 
English yoke has been successfully cast off and 
independence is now asserted. Our attention 
naturally turns to the development of our polit- 
ical life. 

Note 43.-- -/*a.o'<? 4JJ.-- -The first life insurance company 
w^s org^anized in 181 2. 

Note 44.--- Pasfe .^d^.-'-The orig-in of the popular belief 
in regard to the Blue Laws of Connecticut is here given. 
The popular idea of them originated in a book written by a 
Tory named Peters who fled to England during the Revo- 



27 

Page 46$. — Thomas Jefferson and John Adams 
died the same day — on the 4th of July, 1826. The 
biographies of both are given in the work. 

Page 47o.~The Alleged Abduction of Mor- 
gan by the Masons in 1826 created the great anti- 
Mason excitement. There is no book extant ex- 
cept this which relates the particulars, tells ^ who 
abducted him, or what became of him. The 
author has given Thurlow Weed's account of the 
affair, who served upon the committee of investi- 
gation at the time, and who ascertained the facts 
many years afterward. The account is given in 
full, and is one of the most interesting things in 
the book. 

Page 4^2. — The first railroad in America was 
built in Quincy, Mass., in 1827. This was oper- 
ated by horse-power. 

Page 4yj. — The first locomotive trip made in 
this country was in 1828. The engine was named 
the Lion, and \^as brought from England. 

Page 4.J6. — The Great Debates in the Senate 
by Webster and Hayne occurred in Jan., 1830. 
i Copious extracts are given, adding a great deal of 
interest and value to the work. 



lution. In his book he exaggerated the laws as much as 
possible in order to make them ridiculous. The old Eng- 
lish laws areas singular; so are many of the lav/s of Vir- 
ginia. 



28 

Page ^77. — Joseph Smith organized the first 
regular Mormon Church in 1830. The Mormon 
characters which are here given, it is impossible 
to decipher. It is probable they have no intel- 
ligent meaning. 

Page 478. — The First Steam Locomotive 

made in this country was successfully tried on a 
railroad in South Carolina. 

The second locomotive was made by Peter 
Cooper, the philanthropist, and was run on the 
Baltimore & Ohio Railway. 

Page 48^. — The Asiatic cholera made its ap- 
pearance in New York, June 27, 1832. There 
were nearly 3,500 deaths in two months. It also 
attacked many of the large Western and Southern 
cities. 

Page 514. — Dorr's Celebrated Rebellion in 
Rhode Island occurred this year. His address to 
his men excited much ridicule. When he saw the 
State troops coming he told his men to fight as 
long as they could hold out, and if obliged to give 
way, to preserve order and retreat with their faces 
to the foe, adding, in a low voice, as he saw the 
troops within a short distance, "As I am a little 
lame, I guess I'll go now." 

Page ^18. — In 1S43 the great excitement was 
produced by the Millerites. A very faithful and 
interesting account of this is given. 



29 

Prof. Morse made his success with the tele- 
graph in 1844, although he had made several pre- 
vious attempts. 

Page ^22. — Portrait of Andrew Jackson, and a 
biography of this great man. 

Page ^2^. — Petroleum was first discovered this 
year in boring for salt. The first oil well was bored 
by Col. Drake, and created the great excitement 
known as the oil fever. 

Page ^31. — The California Gold fever began in 
1848, by the discovery of gold by Marshall. 

Page sjj. — Here is the origin of spirit rappings 
by the Fox girls in Wayne Co., New York. 

Page^jg. — Portrait and biography of John C. 
Calhoun, the great advocate of States rights. 

Page ^46 — An accurate portrait of Henry Clay, 
and a sketch of his life. 

Page ^^o. — Portrait and biography of the great 
statesman, Daniel Webster. 

NoTE45.---Soo>&/'rt^<?j'j^.--Di-. E. K. Kaneretm-ned from 
his Arctic explorations, 1855. 

Note 46. - -Book Pa^e^sS. - -William Walker, the celebrat- 
ed Filibuster, took the city of Grenada, 1855. This work 
g-ives an accotint of all his expeditions and his hnal execution. 

Note 47. - - -Page 567. - - - The Heaviest Man of whom there 
is any record was Miles Darden, who died this year, 1857, 
in Tennessee, at the age of 59 years, weighing- over 1,000 
pounds; he was 7 feet 6 inches high, and worked until he 
was 55 years old. This man was as large as three men 
weighing 333^^ pounds each. You -an sometimes read this 
oaragraph. 



30 

Page ^6j. — We often read in the papers some 
allusion to the Monroe Doctrine, the Dred Scott 
decision, or some political measure with tvhich we 
are not familiar. A full explanation of the Dred 
Scott decision is here given, and all political meas- 
ures. 

Page jyy. — John Brown made his raid on 
Harper's Ferry in 1859. It was one of the events 
which precipitated the civil war. 

Page ^jg. — The biography of Washington Irv. 
ing. He lived to see 600,000 of his volumes sold 
in America, 

Page 579. — The discovery of the great Corn- 
stock mine in Nevada. 

Part VI. — National Crises containing a care- 
fully written account of the late civil war and all 
its attendant evils. 

Steel Plate. — Now here is one of the finest steel 
plates of Abraham Lincoln ever printed. The 
likeness is accurate, being taken from the fine 
portrait by Brady, and every line in the engraving 
is sharp and clear. Old acquaintances say it is the 
most natural and life-like picture they ever saw. 

l>ioi'£.ic^.-- -Page 568.- --Cypress Grove in Mexico. This 
full-page engTavin£f gives an idea of these wonderful trees; 
the shade is so dense as to present the appearanae of even- 
ing at mid-day. 

Note 49.- - -Book Page j8o. - - - Colorado Potato Btig com- 
menced its great march in 1859; it sccomplished its tour in 
1S75, having crossed half the continent in 15 years. 



31 

Page j88. — Nineteenth Presidential Cam- 
paign. — This is one of the most exciting Presi- 
dential Campaigns in the history of the country. 
All the candidates are given, with the Electoral 
and Poptxlar vote for each. This book is very 
valuable on account of the political information it 
contains. All the presidential campaigns are 
given, from Washington to Garfield inclusive, in 
the same manner that this one is. The famous 
message of President Buchanan was delivered 
Dec. 3d, this year, causing intense excitement. 
South Carolina was the first State to secede. 

Pagejg2. — All the first acts of the war are 
laid down, with the organizing of the Confederate 
States of America, 

An excellent portrait of Jefferson Davis. 

Page ^q^. — An account of Lincoln's Inaugura- 
tion, March 4. The evacuation of Fort Sumter, 
April 18, is given. 

Note 50. ---/*« c»-^ j<?<?.-- -The eig^hth census, which was 
taken this year, gave a population of over 31,000,000 inhab- 
itants. The rate of increase since 1850 has been about 35 
per cent. All the results of the ten censuses of the United 
States are given, with the proportionate increase of each 
decade, and it is singular that omitting the period between 
i860 and 1S70, during which the war occurred, the propor- 
tionate rate of increase has not varied much from 33 per 
cent, since the first census was taken, when the population 
of the country was but 3,929,827. The tenth census gives a 
population or 50,152,866, an increase since i860 of 19,152,866, 
and since the first census, of 46,223,039. ^ 

Note i^\.--Book Pa o-e jgl.- -The first act of the war oc- 
curred on Jan. 9, 1S61 ; when the "Star of the West" was 
fired upon by the Confederates. Mississippi, Florida and 
Alabama followed rapidly in fhe footsteps of South Caro- 
lina. 



Page 602. — The Battle of Bull Run is graph- 
ically described, with the results to both Federals 
and Confederates. 

Page 617. — The hotly contested naval battle be- 
tween the Merrimac and Monitor is fully given. 

And here is a very fine steel engraving of the 
scene. 

Page 622. — Battle of Shiloh or Pittsburgh 
Landing. These battles, you see, are not merely 
sketches, but are given in a full and complete 
manner. 

Page 624. — Capture of New Orleans very 
clearly illustrated by this fine steel plate. You 
see that under the engraving is noted the position 
of the principal forts and ships. 

Page 641. — Here is a very fine portrait of the 
newly elected Governor of Massachusetts. 

Page 642. — Battle of Fredericsburg. 

Page 647. — President Lincoln's emancipation 
proclamation is fully given. 

Page 6^^. — Gen. Stotiezvall yackson praying in 
Ms tetit. This illustrates the religious devotion 
of the brave and conscientious Confederate Gen- 
eral. 

Note 52. • - -Paffe 61^. - • -Here is illustrated the enthusiasm 
of the Southern people in furnishing- metal for the manu- 
facture of cannon. Sometimes read paragraph under 
March S. 



33 

Page 65-7. — Great Battle of Gettysburg is 

graphically described and handsomely illustrated 
by this elegant steel plate. Notice how sharp it 
is, how plainly the expressions of the faces show. 

Page 661. — Capture of Vicksburg is given at 
length. 

All the battles of the great civil war are given 
in this manner. 

Book Page 663. — The Draft Riot, in New York, 
which raged for three days uncontrolled, from July 
13 to 15, is here related. 

Page 668. — Lincoln's Gettysburg Speech. — 

This eloquent speech, which has passed into the 
treasured literature of the nation, is given in full. 
This speech can only be obtained by buying some 
separate book, and it adds greatly to the value of 
this book that it contains not only this great 
speech, but also copious extracts from his debates 
with Douglas, his emancipation proclamation, and 
the biography of his life. 

This fine steel engraying graphically pictures 
the boinbardment of Island No. lo, and shows the 
position of the gunboats and the mortars. 

Page 6g^.—i\. full account of Lincoln's assas- 
sination, and the attempt upon Seward's life. 

Note 53,---/'ac^i?66j.---The attempt by the Fi-ench to es- 
tablish an empire in Mexico is fully described in different 
paragraphs, also the execution of IVIaximilian. 



34 

Page 6g6. — The Complete Biography of Lin 

coin, copious extracts from his debates with 
Douglas. 

Page 712. — The Fenian raid on Canada made 
in June, 1866, created the most intense excitement. 

Page yi^. — In 1866 the present successful At- 
lantic cable was laid by the Great Eastern, the 
cable that was laid in 1858 having proven a 
failure. 

Here we come to the last division of the book, 
Part VII. Our Present Development embracing 
the period from the dawn of peace, in 1869, to July 
18, 1882. 

Page 7j^. — An excellent portrait of Gen. W. T. 
Sherman. 

Page 7j6. — The Pacific Railroad opened, with 
a full account of its construction. 

Note 54. ■••/'«^^ yo%.--'A summing up of the number 
of troops on both sides. The number of enlistments on the 
Union side was over 2,600,000; the number of Confederates 
was near 2,000,000. Six hundred thousand men, inohiding- 
both sides, lost their lives. The war made 400,000 cripples 
and disabled men. A summary of the operations of the 
Pay Department, Medical Department, Sanitary Commis- 
sion ana other departments during^ the war. The Pay De- 
partment of the army disbursed 1,100,000,000 of dollars. 
The loss from defalcation and accidents \vas less than 
$1,000,000. Read this parag-raph. In the Medical Depart- 
ment there were treated over 5,.Soo,ooo cases. The Sanitary 
Commission was one of the greatest aids to the army during 
the war. A full account of its operations is given. A full 
million of men Avere destro\'ed or permanentlj' injured. 

\oTE ^i,.---Pa^e ySQ-'-'DeviPs Castle, East Greenland. 
This full-page engraving gives an idea of the desolate and 
picturesque scenery of that country. 



35 

Page J40. — Black Friday, one of the most no- 
table financial pan cs which ever occurred in this 
country, is described in a graphic manner, and the 
means used by Gould and Fisk to manipulate the 
market, fully explained. 

Page /jj. — The Nathan Murder. This was 
one of the most mysterious murders ever known 
in the annals of crime, the most skilled detectives 
never having been able to discover the slightesi: 
clue to the murderers. 

Page y^d. — Biography of Gen. Robert E. Lee. 

Page ydo. — The Treaty of Washington. An 
account of Stanley and Livingston. 

Page j6j. — The Great Forest Fires of the 

West, and the great fire at Chicago, Oct. 8 and 9, 
which destroyed $175,000,000 worth of property. 

Page y6y. — ^The shooting of James Fisk by 
Stokes, and the biography of Fisk. 

Page 774. — The Alabama Claims Award. 

Biography of Wm. H. Seward. 

Page 778. — Portrait and biography of Horace 
Greeley, the eminent journalist, politician, and 
philanthropist. 

Page 78J. — The Credit Mobilier exposure, and 
salary garb, which ruined the reputation ol so 
many of Our public rnen. • 

Page 784. — The Modoc massacre. 

Page 78^. — -The biograghy of Salmon P. Cnase, 



36 

who was Secretary of the Treasury during Lin- 
coln's administration. 

Page j88. — The panic of '73, which began with 
the failure of Jay Cooke & Co., and brought on 
the great tramp nuisance. 

Page 79.?.— The invention of the telephone in 
1873 by Gray. 

Page 'jgj. — Woman's crusade, which began in 
a small town in the State of Ohio. 

Page ygg. — The Pittsburgh Flood. 

Page 802. — The Beecher Trial. 

Page 80J. — Pacific Mail Investigation. 

Page 80$. — War upon "Whisky Ring," in 
which Secretary Bristow figured so conspicuously 
and implicated more than fifty Government of- 
ficials. 

Page 812. — Suspension of the Bank of Cali. 
fornia, and biography of William C Ralston, the 
California banker. 

Page (?/6. — Boss Tweed's escape. 

Page 82$. — Custer and his three hundred. 

Page 8 JO. — First cremation. The Ashtabula 
horror. The biography of P. P. Bliss, the great 
revival singer who composed the popular melo- 
dies "Hold the Fort," "More to Follow," and sev- 
eral others. 

Page 833. — Execution of John D. Lee, and the 
Mountain Meadows massacre. 



37 

Page 840. — The great railroad strikes of 1877. 
Page 842. — The biography of Brig ham Young. 
Page 8^1. — The biography of William M. 
Tweed. 

Poge 8^2. — The biography of John Morrissey, 
the great prize-fighter and politician. 

Page 8^8.— 'Y'n.Q, ^YQ,dX plague or yellow fever 
of '78, causing 7,000 deaths within four months. 

Page 862. — A description of the phonograph. 
Resumption, which began Jan. i, 1879. 

Page 866. — The negro exodus in 1879. 

Page 884. — Maine election troubles. 

Page 886. — Edison's electric light. 

Page 8go. — The national Republican conven- 
tion which nominated Garfield and Arthur; also 
the Democratic convention which nominated 
Hancock and English. 

Page 8g2. — An account of Dr. Tanner's fast; al- 
so the wonderful story of Giraud, the unfortunate 
well-digger, who lived for one month without 
food or drink, buried at the bottom of a well. 

Page goo. — The twenty-fourth Presidential cam- 
paign. 

Page go'/. — The Fall of Lima and Conquest of 
Peru by Chili. 

Page gi2. — The author here gives in his pleas- 
ing and graphic style the most interesting and 



38 

accurate history of Garfield's short but eventful 
administration from his inauguration, March 4, 
1881, to his assassination and death on September 
19 the same year. 

And here is the finest steel portrait of President 
Garfield ever engraved. Notice how clear it is, 
and how accurate the likeness. 

Page gi^. — Garfield's cabinet in full. 

Page gsj. — The Revised New Testament. 
Here is an accurate description in our author's 
best style of the revision of the New Testament 
with the names of the eminent scholars who were 
engaged in the work, and their method of opera- 
tion. 

Page gz^. — Biography of Thos. A. Scott, the 
great railroad king. 

Page gzd. — The assassination of Garfield which 
sent a thrill of horror over the civilized world, 
creating the greatest suspense and excitement 
ever known to the American people. 

Page gjj. — Garfield's last look at the sea from 
the window of the cottage at Elberon. The most 
pathetic scene in American history, showing the 
touching devotion of his wife. 

A great number of distinguished men have 
died this year. This is the only book in existence 
which gives in fvill the biographies of all these 
great mien, 



39 

Page <pj4. — Biographies of Sidney Lanier and 
Gen. Burnside. 

Page g3$. — On the train for Elberon, showing 
the manner in which President Garfield was re- 
moved. 

Pages gs8-g43. — You see these are not short 
sketches, but full and lengthy accounts. When- 
ever an event is of any importance it is always 
narrated at length, viz: The battles of the great 
civil war, biographies of Washington and Lin- 
coln, etc. 

Whenever the subscriber raises an objection 
that the paragraphs are too short to be interesting, 
always turn to some of these full print pages 
referred to and say that all very important matters 
that require lengthy descriptions are written out 
at length. 

A great many facts in history can be stated in 
short, concise paragraphs, and much better for the 
reader, saving time and being more convenient 
for reference. 

Page g4j. — Queen Victoria's telegram to Mrs. 
Garfield. 

Page 9^7. — A fine engraving of President 
Arthur. 

Page g$2. — Garfield's favorite hymn as sung at 
his funeral. 

Page 95J. — The Receiving Vault at Cleve- 
land, iroxx\ a. photograph. 



Page 955. — Here is a complete biography of 
James A. Garfield. The author has shown his ap- 
preciation of the character of our martyred presi- 
dent in this beautifully written article. This 
ranks as the finest life of Garfield ever written. 

Page gbi. — The Garfield homestead at Mentor. 

Page 965.— Biography of Dr. J. G. Holland, 
the eminent author, and editor of ' Scribner's 
Monthly." 

Page gjo. — The Yorktown Centennial. 
Page 97^. — Dr. Leonard Bacon. 

Page g8o. — We give a full account of the trial 
and execution of the assassin Guiteau. Here is 
his portrait engraved from a photograph taken in 
Chicago before the assassination, and probably the 
most correct likeness in existence. 

Page gSj. — ^Judge Cox. 

Page g84. — George M. Scoville, Guiteau's 
counsel. 

Page g86. — Judge Porter, , counsel for the gov- 
ernment. 

Page gg2. — Blaine's eulogy in full. The most 
eloquent tribute paid to Garfield. 

Page 1008. — The death and biography of Henry 
W. Longfellow, America's greatest poet, with ex- 
tracts from his finest and most characteristic 
poems, with a careful analysis of some of them 
by the author. , 



4^ 

Page loij. — The killing of Jesse James, the 
noted outlaw. 

Page 1014. — Biography of the distinguished 
American philosopher, Ralph Waldo Emerson. 
Page loig. — The execution of Guiteau. 

Page 1020 — Closing with the account of the 
great Jewish immigration, caused by the persecu- 
tion of the Jews in Russia, July 17, 1882. 

This is the only work on American history giv- 
ing all the events of importance since the great 
civil war. No other work on American history 
comes down later than 1876. 

So you see the completeness of the work, the 
excellence of its plan, and the fullness of the in- 
formation it furnishes. The work is made of still 
greater value by the extensive alphabetical and 
analytical index of nearly 50 pages, which it con- 
tains; usually when a book contains an index of 
from ten to twenty pages it is considered to have 
a very large index, and it is very rare for a work 
to contain thirty pages, but this work requires 
this extensive index of 50 pages on account of the 
vast number and variety of facts which it em- 
braces. 

You can instantly refer to any fact or event in 
the history of the country by means of this index, 
for instance; — 

Page 1028. — Any census from the first to the 
tenth inclusive. 



42 

Page loji. — Any convention from the first in 
Faneuil Hall, down to the first Democratic, the 
first Republican convention ever held, first 
Woman's Rights convention, first Soldiers' and 
Sailors' convention, first national Temperance 
convention, labor reform convention, liberal Re- 
publican, straight out Democratic, and Greenback, 
etc., so you see how fully every subject is treated. 

Take the great fires for instance, and you have 
them all, from the first fire at Plymouth, the burn- 
ing of the Crystal Palace in New York, and the 
great fire in New York which destroyed so large 
a portion of the city, the great Chicago fire, and 
the fires of Boston, St. John's, and Michigan, 
also including a long list of others. 

Take the great financial panics, and you have 
them all from the panics of '57 and '73 down to 
the last. 

You see that the page of the book and the 
column is given, so that you can turn instantly to 
the required event. 

This makes it the most complete and convenient 
work on American History ever produced ; every 
fact desired can be looked up with equal facility. 

It is very important that the ijidex should be thor- 
oughly shown. Many of our most successful agents 
owe their success to a skillful showing of the index. 
The above method of shoxving the index is the shortest, 
and simplest, and will usually efect a sale. We fiotv 



43 

give another and more elaborate showing ivhich the 
agent should be prepared to ttse at any time. 

So yon see the vast scope of this work and the 
large number of valuable historical facts taken 
up. It is made the more valuable bj a full 
analytical index of 50 pages so arranged that it 
makes this book a connected history of America, 
as you can easily refer to any series of events 
which are described on different pages. For in- 
stance, any census — refer to index — you see it 
takes them all up from the first to the tenth ; or 
the Presidential Campaigns, or anything in the 
history of Slavery, or Temperance Movements, 
Financial Panics, Great Fires or Disasters, or any 
Civil, Military, or Political Events ; you can by 
reference to this index find all about them, where 
the chronological arrangement has placed them 
on different pages. A book without a complete 
index loses a greater part of its value, as the fact 
you want may be in the book, but you cannot find 
it readily and waste time by looking. The author, 
realizing the value of a thorough analytical index, 
has spared no effort to have this one complete. 
It is unusual to have a 50 page index in any book. 

Hardly a day passes, or a newspaper is looked 
into, but some subject comes up that we wish to 
know something about, and when we realize that 
this is the only book that gives complete and 
accurate information on America, not only its 



44 

History and Biography, but hundreds of valuable 
facts that are not found in ordinary books, and 
that it is easy to refer to them, it seems that at 
last the reference book on these subjects has been 
found. 

A good point can sometimes be tnade at any period 
in the description of the ifidex, by showing the per- 
son that tue can trace the history of any of our in- 
stitutions frotn their origin to the present day. To 
illustrate^ take the subject of Negro Slavery, and 

say: Mr. , it is wonderful how, by means 

of this book, we can trace anything in 
American history from its origin to the present 
time ; take Negro Slavery. It was introduced by 
the Spaniards in 1501 — page 104. The first Eng- 
lish connection with it was in 1562, when Sir 
John Hawkins sold 300 Guinea negroes, whom 
he had captured in Africa, to the Spaniards of 
Hayti — page 1^2. The Dutch introduced them 
to the English settlers at Jamestown in 1620, the 
same year as the landing of the Pilgrims — Book 
page ijj. The English for many years carried on 
the slave trade between Africa and the American 
colonies. The system rooted itself vigorously as 
the colonies increased in population and wealth- 
The first negro insurrection was in Hayti in 1522 
— page 12^. It inaugurated in the New World the 
long tragedy of results from negi^o bondage. The 
first abolitionists were the Dominican Monks, 
the next we»*e the Quakers, although slaves were 



45 

held among them for many years. George Fox 
advocated abolitionism as early as 1671 — Book f age 
22J. The negro plot in New York City was in 1741 
— i"^S^ ^l*^- Slavery was prohibited in Rhode 
Island as early as 1652 — Book page 210 — but the 
law was not generally obeyed. The earliest 
church discipline for slaveholding was at New- 
port, R. I., in 1769 — Book fagc 2gg. The first 
abolition society was formed in 1775 — Book page 
3^3' 

The slave trade was prohibited by an act of 
Congress in 1807 — page 42^. The British Parlia- 
ment passed a similar law a few days later. 
Sometimes turn to tins paragraph and shovj the 
value of the side notes. The Mission Compromise 
in 1820. Thus you can trace the whole history of 
it, including the suppression of Lovejoy's print- 
ing office, and his murder, and the persecution of 
Garrison, Phillips and others. John Brown's 
raid, which precipitated the civil war. The 
Emancipation Proclamation and Civil Rights 
Bill, through the era or reconstruction and Ku- 
klux, down to the latest phase of the Negro 
Exodus. There is no other work in which this 
can be done. 

Or take the temperance movement. The first 
temperance lecture in this country was made near 
Quebec, by an Indian chief, who was influenced 
by the Jesuit priests in 1648 — page soj. The first 



46 

temperance movement in the United States was 
made at Litchfield, Conn., by some farmers in 17S9 
— Book page jyS. The first Temperance Society 
was organized at Moreau, Saratoga Co., N. Y., in 
1808 — Book page 424. The word teetotalism orig- 
inated in England in 1834. '^^^ famous Washing- 
tonian Society was organized in Baltimore in 1840 
— t<^S^ 50S. Father Matthew, the great Irish 
apostle of temperance, visited this country creating 
great excitement in 1849. The famous Fifteen Gal- 
lon Law was enacted in Massachusetts. Coming 
down to the history of the movement at the pres- 
ent time, including the Maine Liquor Law, an ac- 
count of John B. Gough, Woman's Crusade, the 
Murphy excitement, and Red Ribbon Clubs or" 
ganized by Reynolds. By means of the index a 
complete and connected history of Temperance 
can be made while each movement is placed dis. 
tinctly by itself in chronological order. 

All the Socialistic excitements can be readily 
traced in the same manner. The great manias or 
fevers in regard to Tobacco, Cotton, Silk, Poultry, 
Sheep, Gold — including the California, Pike's 
Peak and Black Hills excitements — Copper, Oil 
and dozens of other things which have excited 
this country, can all be traced. In the same man- 
ner can be traced the history of Mormonism from 
the Prophet Joe Smith, their settlements in Ohio 
and Illinois, and death of Smith, the great Exodus 
to Salt Lake, their prosperity under Brigham 



47 

Young, their defiance of United States law, and 
the present active campaign against Polygamy. 

So you can trace the progress of Inventions 
from the first imperfect fire engine, the Modern 
Scythe by Jenks in 1655 — page 212. The first 
Franklin Stove, by Benjamin Franklin ; who also 
discovered the power of electricity, and its identi- 
ty with lightning, and paved the way for the first 
modern Telegraph, and its final success under 
Morse. The first steamboats by Fitch and Rum- 
sey, and Fulton's success. The first voyage across 
the Atlantic by a steam vessel in 181 9. The first 
Iron Plow, by Jethro Wood, in 1819, before which 
time the farmers had nothing better than wooden 
plows bound with iron. The value of this inven- 
tion to the world is probably not equaled by any 
other. The invention of the Cotton Gin by Whit, 
ney ; the first Sewing Machine, by Greenough, in 
1842, and Howe's great success with it in 1846- 
The invention of the Mowing and Reaping Ma- 
chines. The Telephone, the Electric Light; the 
invention by Bogardus of the great Power Loom, 
and hundreds of other inventions, can be easily 
traced, and the progress of all our Manufactures 
The magnificent array of inventions makes ridic- 
ulous the remark of Lord Beaconsfield in his re- 
cent work Endymion, that " the Americans hav- 
ing borrowed their language of the English could 
not become great inventors." 

It is well for all Americans to have this in order 



48 

that they can understand the greatness of Ameri- 
can invention ; and if Lord Beaconsfield and his 
brother Englishmen had a copy they would be 
more careful in making statements which display 
their ignorance. America can well be proud of 
her great inventors. 

Ai any favorable point in the description you can 
call attention to the superior quality of paper ^ clear- 
ness of type^ and excellent press zvork, as follozvs : 

This is a very fine quality of paper, Mr. . 

Such paper is only used in first-class works. You 
notice that it is highly calendered. Just feel how 
thick and smooth it is (feeling of it yourself as you 
pass the book to him). It is made from the very 
best selected stock, and especially for this book, 
A book printed on such paper makes a much 
handsomer page than the ordinary coarse paper 
used in books. The type you notice is large and 
clear, nicely spaced, so that it is easy to read, with 
no injury to the eye; being in double columns is 
also ah aid, as it is difficult to follow long lines 
across the page. Every letter is clear and distinct, 
you will find no imperfections, blotted or blurred 
letters. Some books are hardly readable from 
these causes. This type is entirely new, having 
been cast expressly for this v/ork, which is some- 
thing unusual. The book is printed from new 
electrotype plates, of the best workmanship. Ordi- 
nary books are printed from electrotype plates 
which never make so clear an impression. The 



49 

press work is very beautiful, being done hy one of 
the most experienced and skillful pressmen in the 
country. No time or expense has been spared to 
make this a beautiful as well as accurate work. It 
is time that greater attention was paid to these 
matters, as it is a great injury to the eyes to read 
poorly printed books, and we should all be careful 
of our eyesight. 

Should any person question the authority of the 
■work or inquire how the author gathered so large 
a number of facts ^ the agent can any time turn to the 
List of Authorities^ page 2j, and say : The author 
here gives a partial list of the authorities used in 
the preparation of this work. It embraces all the 
standard authorities, for instance, all the great 
encyclopedias, as the American, Brittanica, John- 
son's, Zell's, etc., etc. Read them as far as Fost- 
er'' s Prehistoric Races^ and all the great works on 
American History. Begifi with Bancroft a?id read 
as far as Maunders^ History of the Worlds besides 
the best works in all special directions such as 
the latest and best works on Prehistoric America, 
like Foster's Prehistoric America, MacLean's 
Mound Builders, Short's North Americans of 
Antiquity, and Smithsonian Contributions, all of 
Parkman's, Frothingham's and Prescott's works 
which have so high a reputation among scholars. 

On inventions, Bishop's History of American 
Manufacttcres^ which is the best and only com- 
plete authority on the subject. Important politi- 



50 

cal books are: Johnston'' s History of American 
Politics^ American Statesmen^ Greeley^s Political 
Text Books, Spoffard^s Americati Almanac. The 
popular historians and biographers are Abbott^ 
Lossing^ Parton^ Raymoiid and Ridpath^ besides a 
large number of eminent authorities on South 
America, Central America, Mexico, and Peru. 
This by no means represents the wide range of 
historical literature which the author has drawn 
upon. This book is not a compilation, but an in- 
dependent work, based on a thorough study of 
all authorities and sources. Its philosophical re- 
flections are just and striking, and its narration is 
graceful. 

For manner of closing the canvass and taking 
the order, see General Instruction book, How to 
take an order, article LXIII, and Hints about 
binding, article LXIV. 

Hie agent shordd be thoroughly familiar ■with 
this long description^ so as to enable him to answer 
any question or talk at length upon any subject in 
■which the party may seem interested ; the large 
amount of valuable Historical information brought 
out in this description, if properly digested by the 
agent, ■will command respect for both himself and 
the book. However, it is not intended that the 
age7it should use all this description with any one 
person, but if he is thoroughly familtar with it^ 
he will soon become proficient in showing those por- 
tions zvhich ijiterest the subscriber the most. 



51 

The agent should talk in a somexvhat more rapid 
manner than he uses in cojnmon conversation., -when 
showing the book., and by all means be earnes^i and 
enthusiastic. 



A SHORT CANVASS 

AMERICA. 



The short canvass for "America" which we 
now give is a verv excellent one. The first few 
pages are different from the long description, but 
the remainder, except the closing, is exactly the 
same, a few of the strongest points having been 
selected. An agent who is master of the short 
description will make a good success, but we feel 
that to attain the highest success in the canvass, 
the agent should be familiar with all the points 
we have given, using them at his discretion. This 
has been demonstrated by our most successful 
agents. 



52 



SHORT CANVASS 

As the success of an agent depends, largely, on 
first impressions, the point most to be studied 
is, hotv to approach people. In this, the proper 
time, place, and manner of introducing your busi- 
ness, is to be considered. 

Always show your book to people when by 
themselves at their residence or place of business. 
On making a call you will first say : " Is this 

Mr. ( ) ?" to which he replies: " That is my 

name, sir ; what can I do for you V You will say : 

" My name is , sir. I am introducing a 

work devoted entirely to AiTierican History, Bi- 
ography and Politics^ and am pleased to say that 
it is meeting with ready indorsement by the best 
citizens." 

He replies : " I do not want to waste your time, 

Mr. , as I wish to bny no books. Agent — 

" That is a matter of no consideration with me» 
sir, as I am well paid for showing this work, and 
am expected to show it to everybody," 

If he hesitates, then say : " 1 will explain why I 
insist on showing my work. It is because I am 
confident that, after examining it, you will speak 
well of it, and that will be a point gained for me." 
If he still refuses or seems unwilling, say : " I will 
tell you what I will do, Mr. Blank ; I will show 
you one page of this work, and then if you wish 



54 

to see no more, I will be satisfied, and will occupy 
no more of your time." Should he be very busy, 
and after learning your business, asks you to call 

again, say to him: "Mr. ( ), since I am to 

come in again, would it not be best to glance at 
one or two pages of the work, or some of its most 
interesting features, in order to give it some 
thought?" Usually he will do so, as "busy" is 
very often a put-oft — a mere excuse to get rid of 
examining your book. By these methods, used 
as the case requires, you can not fail to obtain an 
audience, when you will open your book to some 
interesting feature, and shoxv him the ivhole of it, 
giving him no opportunity to interrupt you. An- 
other plan is this. Agent — "Is this Mr. Blank? 

My name is ( ); I called in, Mr. Blank, to 

give you an opportunity to examine a new histor- 
ical work by Prv^f. Stephen M. Newman, of Bow- 
doin College, Maine. The design of the work is 
to treat of 'American History, Politics and Biog- 
raphy.' The manner in which these subjects 
have been treated is more apt to confuse than to 
instruct. In many cases a topic is taken up at the 
beginning of the work, and then left incomplete 
until the last chapters. In such cases the line of 
facts is lost, and the reading, requiring much val- 
uable time is of no use to you. In this work we 
give you every fact, from the earliest date to the 
present time — four centuries of history, with every 
event placed within easy reach. Allow me now 



55 

to call jour attention to the work in detail. The 
period of ' Discovery, Exploration and Settle- 
ment,' from 1492 to 1530. From this on all the 
various events, with their dates — the year, the 
month, and the day of the month, are given. We 
are now in 1492. This year is completed, and 
then the next, 1493, is taken up; then '94, '95, '96, 
and so on till 1500, and in like manner is each 
century taken up, with all the great developments 
of our Nation's life. The proper place to obtain a 
full idea of the work is in the index, and if you will 
mention any subject to which you wish to make 
reference, I will turn to it for you, and thus dem- 
onstrate the usefulness of the work and the ease 
with which you are enabled to reach any desired 
fact. Suppose, as we have chanced upon the mat- 
ter, that we refer to Duels — that between Clay and 
Randolph you will find described on page 464 — 
between Jackson and Benton, 438, first column. 
Capital punishment for dueling, page 453, first 
column. 

** Aaron Burr's trial, page 423, first column, and 
the Missouri compromise, page 451; 'Silk Cul- 
ture,' the history of that industry from its earliest 
date to the present time. ' Slavery' its full his- 
tory, you see, from 1501 to 1882. Do you wish to 
know the date of its abolition in any State.'* New 
York, for example. By reference to page 472, 
first column ; defined in Georgia, page 303, first 
column." English slave trade begun page 152, 



56 

arst column. "Taxation," "Tariff," "Tele- 
graph," and Treaties — of Buda, of Westminster, 
of Ryswick ; between France and the United 
States, England and U. S., between United States 
and China, and every treaty known in the history 
of our Government, 

The Trent aifair; Tweed. Wm. M. — biography, 
etc. 

Why I call your attention to these few topics is 
that you may gain a correct idea of the extent of 
this work. At first glance, it might be inferred 
that a mere outline of history is given, but by ob- 
serving the large amount of space devoted to each 
topic as in the index, it is readily seen that noth. 
hig is omitted. By tracing the whole topic 
through you will iind that it embraces every point 
in the history of the particular subject treated. 
Suppose you wish to obtain the history of any 
special year — here we have all the events of 1845 
— Biography of Daniel Webster, 1S52. 

You see by this plan that any fact desired may 
be reached without the labor of reading a large 
amount of reading. Just ivhat you wish you are 
able to find. 

Turn no'v to Part I, The book is divided sys- 
tematically and scientifically into parts and sec- 
tions ; each part covering its proper period of his- 
tory. For instance, Part I. takes up introductory 
studies and treats of the Mound Builders and the 
American Indians. 



57 

Tunc now to page ^2^ saying: Pre-historic 
America. The author begins his work by giving 
a full and interesting account of the Pre-historic 
Races, sometimes cnlled the Mound Builders. 
Grave Creek Mound, West Virginia, shows the 
appearance of one of their mounds. It is 1,000 
feet in circumference and 75 feet high. It was 
examined a few years ago by running a shaft into 
it where two chambers were found, one above the 
other, about 30 feet apart. They were formed of 
upright timbers with beams laid across the top to 
support the roof. In the upper chamber was found 
a skeleton, a large number of ornaments, carved 
stones, evidently utensils, and shell beads. The 
lower mound contained two skeletons and a stone 
with very singular characters inscribed upon it, 
which no one has been able to decipher. The 
largest mound known is at East St. Louis, being 
at least 90 feet high. 

This work on Pre-historic America is one of the 
most interesting features of this book, and is alone 
worth the price. Here the price of the book ?nay be 
asked ^ if not before — see art. ji. No other history 
of America contains anywhere near the amount 
of information on this subject. 

Page yi. — The History of the American In- 
dians is then taken up in an able and interesting 
manner Their probable origin is given, an esti- 
mate of the number on the continent when 
America was discovered, a description of each 



58 

tribe and its locality — their manners, habits, and 
customs in peace and war. 

Page 8g-gi. — Pre-Columbian History and 
Tradition. — All that is known of the discoveries 
by the Northmen and Welsh is given in this sec- 
tion. In 986 it is thought they discovered the 
American coast. In 1007 they made a settlement in 
Rhode Island, and the first white child was born. 

Before I saw this book, Mr. ( ), I had always 

supposed that the first white child was born in the 
attempted Roanoke Colony in Virginia. 

Part II embraces discovery, exploration and 
settlement not only of North America, but of 
South America, including the biographies of all 
the leading explorers. 

Section 5 embraces Balboa and Cortez and the 
period between 1507 and 1522. 

The biographies of all the early discoverers and 
explorers are fully given; Balboa, Cortez, Pizarro, 
De Soto, and many others. The Conquest of 
Mexico by Cortez has in romantic interest no 
parallel, unless it is the wonderful conquest of 
Peru by Pizarro; all these events are fully nar- 
rated. 

Page 128^ Sect. 6. — This work gives a full ac- 
count of all the great expeditions for the discovery 
of the New World. 

Page ijb. — It is generally believed that the first 
books printed in America were printed in Cam- 
bridge, Mass., in 1640, and I find that our best 



59 

educators are surprised to learn that 105 years be- 
fore, or in 1535, books were printed in Mexico. 
Read paragraph under First Printing The first 
mint on the continent was also established in the 
City of Mexico in 1535. 

Page 152. — The introduction of the Slave Trade 
into the New World by the English. You will 
find a very full account of slavery given in the 
work — its introduction by Sir John Hawkins, the 
various steps in its progress, its disastrous results, 
and its final abolition in '63. 

Page j6j. — Here we have an account of the 
first manufactory erected in the New World — the 
humble beginning of the immense American in- 
dustries of the present day. {See note 20.) 

Page i8g. — Here begins the third division of 
our book, "Colonial Life," from 1631-1760. A 
long period, but full of events interesting to every 
one who cares to trace the steps of our political 
development. 

Page jg8. — The first example in history of a 
written constitution framed by the people, was 
adopted by the Connecticut Colony in 1639. 

Page 20"/. — An account of the first steps taken 
in the founding of our free school system, which 
has done more than anything else to mould our 
national character. 

Page 212. — The modern or long scythe, such as 
is now used by farmers, was first invented in this 
country by Joseph Jenks. Previously the farm- 



6o 

ers had used the short English scythe such as is 
now used for cutting brush. Mr. Jenks was the 
first American inventor, having invented the lire- 
engine the year before this. The city of Paris had 
no fire-engine until 50 years later. . 

Page 261. — 1721. First inoculation of small- 
pox. The value of side notes in contemporane- 
ous European history is weJl shown here. To 
illusirate — 1721, inoculation introduced. Read 
side note. These side notes continue through the 
book. 

Page 268. — 1736. John Wesley established the 
first modern Sunday School. 

The First Steam Engine built in America 
was made this year. 

Page 2^0. — Franklin Stoves. — Benj. Franklin> 
in 17^^, invented the open iron fire-place called 
the Franklin Stove. This, in its improved form, 
is in use to-day, and was among the first steps in 
the long line of useful inventions which American 
ingenuity has wrought out. 

Page 28g — Part IV. Revolutionary struggles 
giving the causes which led to the Revolution, 
our first resistance to British oppression, and the 
successful result of our conflict with the mother 
country. 

Page 364. — Robert Fulton has been given all 
the credit for the invention of the steamboat, but 
John Fitch made the first practical boat in 1787, 
which ran at a speed of eight miles an hv./ur on 



6i 

the Delaware River for some time. James Rum- 
sej also exhibited a steamboat in this same year. 
Undoubtedly Fulton saw these boats and gained 
his ideas from them, and made the first successful 
steamboat in 1807 

Page 402. — The superstition and ignorance of 
the people less than 100 years ago is well illus- 
trated by Charles Newbold's invention of the cast 
iron plow. Before this wooden plows had alone 
been used, and a report immediately sprang up 
that the cast iron plow "poisoned the soil, and 
promoted the growth of rocks." This is a good 
■paragraph to read 

Page 4JJ. — The origin of the term " Uncle 
Sam " was in 1712. Read the paragraph. 

Page 4J4. — Anthracite coal was first sold in 
Philadelphia, and the man who sold it was arrest- 
ed for selling stones. 

Page 4^0. — First Steam Voyage across the 
Atlantic was made in iS 19 by an American ves- 
sel. The same year Jethro Wood invented his 
famous plow, from which all modern plows have 
been made. 

Page 4^1. — Many persons reading in the news- 
papers allusions to the Missouri Compromise, do 
notunderstand what it means — a concise and clear 
account is here given. 

Page ^57.— The Monfoe Doctrine is now re. 
peatedly called -to public attention in connection 



63 

with the Panama scheme. Just what the doctrine 
is, is here given. 

Part V. — Political Development. — You notice 
how systematically this work is divided. The 
English yoke has been successfully cast off and 
independence is now asserted. Our attention 
naturally turns to the development of our polit- 
ical life. 

Page 47o.~The Alleged Abduction of Mor- 
gan by the Masons in 1826, created the great anti- 
Mason excitement. There is no book extant ex- 
cept this which relates the particulars, tells who 
abducted him, or what became of him. The 
author has given Thurlow Weed's account of the 
aftair, who served upon the committee of investi- 
gation at the time, and who ascertained the facts 
many years afterward. The account is given in 
full, and is one of the most interesting things in 
the book. 

Page ^2^. — Petroleum was first discovered this 
year in boring for salt. The first oil well was bored 
by Col. Drake, and created the great excitement 
known as the oil fever. 

Page^ji. — The California Gold fever began 
in 1848, by the discovery of gold by Marshall. 

Page jjj. — Here is the origin of spirit rappings 
by the Fox girls in Wayne Co., New York. 

Page ^jg. — Portrait and biography of John C. 
Calhoun, the great advocate of States rights* 



63 

Page ^46. — An accurate portrait of Henry Clay, 
and a sketch of his life. 

Part VI. — National crises containing a care- 
fully written account of the late civil war and all 
its attendant evils. 

Steel Plate. — Now here is one of the finest steel 
plates of Abraham Lincoln ever printed. The 
likeness is accurate, being taken from the line 
portrait by Brady, and every line in the engraving 
is sharp and clear. Old acquaintances say it is the 
most natural and life-like picture they ever saw 

Page ^88. — Nineteenth Presidential Cam- 
paign. This is one of the most exciting Presi- 
dential Campaigns in the, history of the country. 
All the candidates are given, with the Electoral 
and Popular vote for each. This book is very 
valuable on account of the political information it 
contains. All the presidential campaigns are 
given, from Washington to Garfield inclusive, in 
the same manner that this one is. The famous 
message of President Buchanan was delivered 
Dec. 3d, this year, causing intense excitement. 
South Carolina was the first state to secede. 

Page 617. — The hotly contested naval battle be- 
tween the Merrimac and Monitor is fully given. 

And here is a very fine steel engraving of the 
scene. 

Page 622. — Battle of Shiloh, or Pittsburgh 
Landing. These battles, you see, are not merely 



64 

sketches, but are given in a full and complete 
manner. 

Page 624. — Capture of New Orleans very 
clearly illustrated by this fine steel plate. You 
see that under the engraving is noted the position 
of the principal forts and ships. 

Page 6^7. — Great Battle of Gettysburg is 
graphically described and handsomely illustrated 
by this elegant steel plate. Notice how sharp it 
is, how plainly the expressions of the faces show. 

This fine steel engraving graphically pictures 
the bombardment of Island No. 10, and shows the 
position of the gunboats and the mortars. 

Page 6g6. — The Complete Biography of Lincoln, 
copious extracts from his debates with Douglas. 

Here we come to the last division of the book, 
Part VII. Our Present Development embracing 
the period from the dawn of peace in 1869, to 
July 18, 1882. 

Page j^o. — Black Friday, one of the most no- 
table financial panics which ever occurred in this 
country, is described in a graphic manner, and the 
means used by Gould and Fisk to manipulate the 
market, fully explained. 

Page y88. — The panic of '73, which began with 
^he failure of Jay Cooke & Co., and brought on 
the great tramp nuisance. 

Page gi2. — The author here gives in his pleas- 
ing and graphic style the most interesting and ac- 
curate history of Garfield's short but eventful ad- 



65 

ministration from his inauguration, March 4, 1881, 
to his assassination and death on September 19, 
the same year. 

And here is the finest steel portrait of President 
Garfield ever engraved. Notice how clear it is, 
and how accurate the likeness. 

Page gsd. — The assassination of Garfield, which 
sent a thrill of horror over the civilized world, 
creating the greatest suspense and excitement 
ever known to the Ainerican people. 

A great number of distinguished men have 
died this year. This is the only book in existence 
which gives in full the biographies of all these 
great men. 

Pages (pj8-g4j. — You see these are not short 
sketches, but full and lengthy accounts. When- 
ever an event is of any importance it is always 
narrated at length, vis. : The battles of the great 
civil war, biographies of Washington and Lin- 
coln, etc. 

Page g^^. — Here is a complete biography of 
James A. Garfield. The author has shown his ap- 
preciation of the character of our martyred presi- 
dent in this beautifully written article. This 
ranks as the finest life of Garfield ever written. 

Page 1008. — The death and biography of Henry 
W. Longfellow, America's greatest poet, with ex- 
tracts from his finest and most characteristic 
poems, with a careful analysis of some of them 
by the author, 



66 

Page J014. — Biography of the distinguished 
American philosopher, Ralph Waldo Emerson. 

Page lojg. — The execution of Guiteau. 

Page 1020. — Closing with the account of the 
great Jewish immigration, caused by the persecu- 
tion of the Jews in Russia, July 17, 1882. 

This is the only work on American history giv- 
ing all the events of importance since the great 
civil war. No other work on American history 
comes down later than 1876 

So you see the completeness of the work, the 
excellence of its plan, and the fullness of the in- 
formation it furnishes. The work is made of still 
greater value by the extensive alphabetical and 
analytical index of nearly 50 pages, which it con- 
tains ; usually when a book contains an index of 
from ten to twenty pages it is considered to have 
a very large index, and it is very rare for a work 
to contain thirty pages, but this work requires 
this extensive index of 50 pages on account of the 
vast number and variety of facts which it em- 
braces. 

You can instantly refer to any fact or event in 
the historv of the countrv bv means of this index, 
for instance: — 

We therefore have in this volume a complete 
record of every event in the histor_y of our country 
since its discovery, four hundred years ago. 

We bind the work in four different styles, at the 
same price as the American Cyclopedia and the 



^7 

Encyclopedia Brittanica — in Muslin, $5.00; Li- 
brary', $600; H'f Mo., $7.50, and Full Mor. $9.00. 
I will show you the styles of binding people are 
buj'ing generally. You notice that most of my 
orders are for the Morocco and the Library bind- 
ings. Either of them will last a lifetime, and all 
of them are very handsome. 

I will be very much pleased to furnish you a 
copy of ihe work when T deliver my list here. 
Please give me your name right here, and I will 
carry out the residence, style, and date of deliv- 
ery. See General Instruction book How to take 
an order, article LXIII^ and Hints about bind- 
ing, article LXIV. 



CONCLUSION. 

When you meet ordinary objections, which 
will come in all kinds of shapes, remember that 
there was never an objection made that a good 
agent could not answer. You must expect ob- 
jections ; many of them are simply to put you off, 
and you either do not hear them, and keep right 
on with your description, or make a pleasant 
answer. 

Make Canvassing for "America" your ex- 
clusive business if you wish to succeed with it; 
you cannot mix it up with other business and 
meet with success; you must throw your whole 
ENERGY into it. 



68 

Other Books. —When you get into a locality 
and find the people have bought "Our First Cen- 
tury," Ridpath's History of the United States, or 
any other book on American History, do not let 
it deter you from your canvass for a moment. 

Remember, the more books a man has bonght 
on American History, the more likely he is to be 
interested in and more ready to buy a complete 
work on the subject. 

In canvassing it is not wise to run down any 
book a person has bought, but say; O//, yes; 
that is a good i.vork as far as it goes. If he has 
bought "Our First Century," and thinks he has 
enough on the subject, say : Oiir First Century 
contains hut one hundred of the thousands of impor- 
tant events tfiat have occurred in tliis country^ and 
as (I complete ivork^ it has but little value. America is 
a vast country; it embraces a good many distinct 
nationalities^ and its history covers a period of nearly 
400 years. The United States alone has an im- 
mense history y and this book covers it all; gives all 
the civil and military history., wJiile Our First Cen- 
tury covers but a small portion of it ivith its 100 
events., and has uo biographies, ivhereas, ^'' America''* 
has the biography of every eminetit man., and gives 
the most complete account of the Mound Builders 
and American Indians publislied in any History of 
the coufitry. 

(On these subjects Our First Centvjry has noth- 
ing. "America" is complete on the early Die- 



69 

coveries and Voyages, and the old Colonial His- 
tory. It contains a complete account of the 
wonderful conquests of Mexico and Peru, of which 
Our First Century has nothing. "America" is 
complete in its Civil, Military and Political His- 
tory. On these subjects Our First Century con- 
tains merely sketches. The great Civil War is 
thoroughly taken up in our book, and every battle 
is described. A reference book on the history of 
any country, to be of any value, must be a com- 
plete work of itself, and this "America" is. A 
great many of my subscribers have Our First 
Century, but have taken this, and say they would 
not be without it.) 

When you find your territory well supplied 
with Ridpath's History of the United States, pay 
no attention to it, or any other history of the 
United States. Say (Well, Ridpath's is a very 
good short History of the United States, but ours 
gives not only the History of the United States, 
but of Canada, Mexico, Central America, and 
South America.) Show the great scope of our 
work, and its greater value as a reference work, 
as it is arranged in chronological paragraphs, so 
that any paragraph may be instantly found, and 
the fact that is wanted, read, without connection 
with other matter. Show that we take up thou- 
sands of things that Ridpath does not touch upon 
at all ; that he has no biographies and none of the 
interesting sketches which our book has; that the 



70 

history of the last four years, which is contained 
in our book, is very valuable, and Ridpath has 
none of it. Let no other book on American His- 
tory stop you at all. Learn to overcome opposi- 
tion. 

When you find a person who has an Encyclo- 
pedia, see note 2^ no matter whether it is Brittani- 
ca, American, or any of the smaller Encyclo- 
pedias, and uses that for a plea, why he does not 
want "America," you can say that our book is 
the only complete work on American History 
and biography published, and contains all the 
recent information in regard to American His- 
tory. 

A general Encyclopedia contains but a small 
amount of American History ; as they cover all 
general information, including the sciences and 
description and history of the countries of the 
world, they have but little space to devote to 
American history. If you will take your Encyclo- 
pedia and compare the amount of information on 
American history and biography, you will find 
the}' have devoted but a few pages to the subject, 
while we have a large volume of 1,069 pages; be- 
sides there are a great many interesting events 
wiiich Encyclopedias do not treat at all, and can 
bi found only in this book, viz-: Anti-Masonry 
excitement, Black Friday, Credit Mobillier at'- 
fairs, Lincoln's Gettysburg speech, and all the 
events which ha^ e occurred in the last ten years, 



71 

including the biographies of all of the eminent 
men. These are not all to be found in any Ency- 
clopedia, or any other book published. I just 

called on Mr. ( ), and he took a half morocco 

copy; you know he has two Encyclopedias, but 
he said he wanted this book, not only for his own 
use, but for his family, as it would be of great 
value to them. The more books a man has bought^ 
or the more books thai have been put into any local- 
ity^ the better chance of success for an energetic 
{igent. It shows the people are a reading poople^ 
hnd are disposed to buy books^ and xvhere one agent 
has done xvell, another can. 



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